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walllee
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I too am a tight tarp guy, the tighter the better. Been through some serious storms and have zero damage.
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Rambler
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quote walllee: "I too am a tight tarp guy, the tighter the better. Been through some serious storms and have zero damage."
Same here
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LuvMyBell
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I use one of these on all my tarp guy lines for the 'shock cord' effect that you do.
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butthead
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Never noticed a need for stretch cord in my tarping. No trouble getting them tight. As far as a big wind blowing, been thu some with no problem, other times I pulled the tarp lower to a more secure position or down entirely.
butthead
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kanoes
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the new debate...
tighty vs. loosey
im a tighty
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PompousPilot1
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quote kanoes: "the new debate...
tighty vs. loosey
im a tighty"
I would have to agree. Loose bugs me.
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HammerII
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So is it just me or am I missing something?
When setting up a tarp for the last ten years or so I generally add a bungie cord into the guy lines.
My reason for doing so is that it keeps the lines tight and provides a "shock cord" if a big wind catches the tarp.
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AndySG
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quote butthead: "  This setup stayed stable and firm as 2 trees came down near camp, during a storm that blew thru Kelso and the Lujinda portage (the portage was littered with downed trees).
If you prefer using bungee cords go for it, I just never had a problem without.
butthead"
Call me Bevis, but I'm with Butthead.
I believe Dan Cooke once warned that bungees or loop knots would damage the tie out loops since they would slide up and down, causing enough friction to eventually wear through the tie out. Dan?
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bear bait
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this works for me...or maybe should say it doesn't not work.
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jcavenagh
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I, too, prefer a taut pitch for my tarp. Bungees can launch stakes under certain conditions, so I don't use bungees on my tarps.
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Scout64
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quote Ragged: "quote butthead: "Never noticed a need for stretch cord in my tarping. No trouble getting them tight. As far as a big wind blowing, been thu some with no problem, other times I pulled the tarp lower to a more secure position or down entirely.
butthead"
I agree, never had an issue, and in wind I've always thought a stiff pitch worked better, when the sheet starts whipping bad things happen, I like to keep it loaded and static if possible. "
I am the same. If it is really bad, I take down the tarp and go in my tent.
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TomP
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I bring in several similar looking bungies, but mine are adjustable in length. I don't use them with my tarp but will bungie in my fishing poles and nets into the canoe.
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HammerII
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Interesting, for years the thought of ever even using a shock cord never crossed my mind. A long run of rope and i had a tight tarp and if it needed a tug here and there as time when on it was just another camp chore. I had heard stories about folks losing tarps in storms but always chalked it up to someone who cut corners or didn't take a moment to check on things. If I thought a big storm might be coming I would add a rock and retie around the rock and tarp instead of the grommlets.
I then got a invite to come on trip for a few days and saw the first use of bungies as a shock cord. it was like a light going off as the tarp went up in minutes tight, straight and neat. While we fished the next three days the tarp never moved. In the morning the tarp was tight, in the evening the tarp was tight, after a couple of storms the tarp was tight. During one evening thunder storm I watched from under the tarp as the tarp caught a gust and the forces were taken up by the bungies. As the gust pasted the tarp returned to its original position. all of the stress on the gromlets was lessened by the bungies and then the extra force was gone they returned to holding the tarp tight.
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PortageKeeper
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Having bungees at tie-out points is about keeping the tarp from vibrating in the wind, keeping tensions equal, keeping it taut when it gets wet (some tarps actually grow once wet) and relieving stress at guy-out points. It will add to the life of the tarp and make it quieter in the wind.
Try it.
Do I use them? No, I always forget to bring them. I do use them on ground sheet corners in tarp shelters.
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OBX2Kayak
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I use bungee cords on all tie-out points on my tarp. IMHO it keeps the tarp tighter.
The bungee cords have kept my tarps tight through some gale strength coastal storms with no issues.
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HammerII
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Not only do the bungies help keep things tight but they also aid in putting up the tarp. I can place a wrap around a tree trunk with a bungie pretty quick.
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JackpineJim
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quote LuvMyBell: "I use one of these on all my tarp guy lines for the 'shock cord' effect that you do.
"
I never thought about bungies, always tied tight. How much stretch do these little buggers have?
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Dan Cooke
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I always tie a bowline to the tarp loops. Do NOT any tarp loop like the "pulley" loop of a truckers hitch. As you pull tension the line will generate alot of friction on the loop and saw it's way through the loop. (reflective rope is more abrasive than non, as rhe reflective component is glass beads)
I set up taunt with a non stretch polyester rope. Nylon rope will stretch and elongate as humidity increases.
If you use bungie / shock cord all the information I have seen is never stretch it to double it's relaxed length as that is when it begins to break down. personally I do not like it when the tarp is moving around on shock cord. I believe it allows for momentum to build and then you reach the end of stretch sharply.
As wind load increases add lines to take the load over more points- area. If you have ever tried to carry a sheet of plywood in a modest wind you have felt the force of wind on 32 sq feet of area, a 10 x 10 is 100 square feet of area.
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jeroldharter
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I have tried this on hammock tarps and it works well. You can use two clove hitches to embed a bungie cord into your tensioning lines:
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3731
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Frenchy19
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I always cranked as tight as I could, but the bungee thing interests me after having a loop tear out and seam came somewhat unfurled in a nasty ass storm in August.
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IBFLY
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tighty
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HammerII
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quote Scout64: "quote Ragged: "quote butthead: "Never noticed a need for stretch cord in my tarping. No trouble getting them tight. As far as a big wind blowing, been thu some with no problem, other times I pulled the tarp lower to a more secure position or down entirely.
butthead"
I agree, never had an issue, and in wind I've always thought a stiff pitch worked better, when the sheet starts whipping bad things happen, I like to keep it loaded and static if possible. "
I am the same. If it is really bad, I take down the tarp and go in my tent."
So what happens if you're base camping and a storm blows up? Heck I talked the wife into a few days car camping this summer and we traveled everyday away from the camp. I wondered if the tent and tarp was still standing after a nasty storm blew thru one afternoon.
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butthead
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This setup stayed stable and firm as 2 trees came down near camp, during a storm that blew thru Kelso and the Lujinda portage (the portage was littered with downed trees).
If you prefer using bungee cords go for it, I just never had a problem without.
butthead
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Savage Voyageur
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I have never seen the need to add shock cord to a tarp. My tarp is tight when I set it up. It sounds like a good option.
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pswith5
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I always bring 'em. Often forget them. Maybe this thread will help me remember.
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Ragged
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quote butthead: "Never noticed a need for stretch cord in my tarping. No trouble getting them tight. As far as a big wind blowing, been thu some with no problem, other times I pulled the tarp lower to a more secure position or down entirely.
butthead"
I agree, never had an issue, and in wind I've always thought a stiff pitch worked better, when the sheet starts whipping bad things happen, I like to keep it loaded and static if possible.
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